Folding shipping-case.



M. P. CONNOLLY, W. H. FISHER & C. 0.PAPKE. FOLDING SHIPPING CASE. APPLICATION FILED sn1=T12,191o.

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Patented De@.12,1911.

l M. P. GONNOLLY, W. H. FISHER & C. 0. PAPKE. FOLDING SHIPPING CASE. 4

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.12, 1910.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

coLuMBIA PLANOGIMPH co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OF WAYNE, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGNORS TO.CONNOLLY-PAPKE-FISHER COMPANY, OF WAYNE, MICHIGAN,r A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

I FOLDING SHIlPING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that we, MARTIN PATRICK CoNNoLLY, WILLIAM 'HENRY 'FIsIIER, and CHARLES Or'ro PAPKE, citizens of the United States, residing at Wayne, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Folding Shipping-Case, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foldingl cases which are adapted to be opened to receive goods to be shipped and which may be returned in folded condition, and the object of our improvements is to provide .a case which may be easily and quickly set-up or knocked-down, which shall be strong because properly reinforced at the points where they are most liable to yield.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of our improved packingcase in its open condition. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the same in folded condition. Fig.'3 is a vertical cross-section of the folded case through a locking device for the top on one side, and Fig. 4 on the other side. Figs. 5 and 6 are details showingV a lock between sides and ends. Fig. 7 is a plan of the hinges between the ends and the bottom. Fig. 8 is a cross section of the same on the line w-x of Fig. 13. Fig. 9 is a plan of the hinges between one of the sides and the bottom. Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the same on the line 10 10. Fig. 11 is a plan of the hinges between the other'side and the bottom. Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the same on the line 12-12. Fig. 13 is an elevation of the hinges. Fig. 14 is an elevation of a locking device forthe top.

Fig. 15 is a cross-section of the same on the line 15- 15. Fig. 16 is an elevation of another locking device for the top. Fig. 17 is a cross-section o-f the same on the line 17--l7.' Fig. 18 is a perspective of' a detail of this lock. Fig. 1.9 is a perspective of the hinge shown in Fig. 7

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The case shown in the Vdrawings is rectangular, having a top 1, bottom 2, ends 3 and 4 and sides 5 and 6. Vhen folded, the ends 3 and 4 lie flat against the bottom, the side 6 lies Hat on the ends, the side 5 at on the side 6, and the top 2 Hat on the side 5. Means are provided for hing- The case shown is so constructed that the sides may be provided with metal corner strips 8 having fingers 9 against which the iends may rest. The edges of the ends may have strips of metal 10 to stilfen them and protect them from injury. `Because of these j'reinforcements, the parts of the case may be lmade of thin material, such as wood-veneering. Extending from the corner strips 8` are the lugs 11, shown in Fig. 5. Pivoted -to the ends of the case on the inner sides, are vlatches 12, having pins 13 and buttons l14 so arranged that the pins 13 will drop into the notches 15 in the lugs 11, and the buttons 14 will engage the outer faces of :the lugs. In lthis manner, the ends are prevented from falling inward while the -fcase is being packed. The ends beingt bestween the edges of the sides, these will also *be held inY their upright positions. The Ehinges between the ends and sides and the bottom are all very similar, but differ because the sides are spaced from the bottom -when the case is folded. The -ends and side fare hinged to the bottom. Secured to the bottom, at intervals, are flat plates 17`hav- L ing lugs 18. projecting at right angles above gthe bottom to provide supports for the @lower edges of the sides and ends. The `bottom is slotted as shown in Fig. 19 and :L shaped flanges 20 extend from the plates 17 into the slots 21. Transverse bars 22 are secured to thel outside of the ends 3 and y4, and arms 23 having heads 24 project i from t-he lower ends of these bars, the heads 24 being adapted to enter theslots 21. The

ylower ends of the bars 22 will fit betweenJ fthe lugs 18 as shown in Fig. 13 and bear `jagainst the ends of the anges v20. When the ends 3 and 4 are upright, the heads 24 bottom. The side 6 is designed to lie flat on the ends 3 and 4 when the case is folded as shown in Fig. 4. It is necessary, therefore, that the arms 25 of the bars 29 be longer than the arms 23 of the bars 22. The flanges 27 on the plates 28 will also be longer than the lianges 20, so the heads 26 may have ample room, but the const-ruction of the various parts will ot-herwise be similar. The side 5 will be separated from the bottom a greater distance when the case is folded, so the arms 30 on the bars 31 will be still longer, and the cross-head 32 require longer flanges 33.

To lock the top when the case is set-up, the following described devices may be employed. The upper ends of the bars 29 on the sides 6 are formed with slots 35. Plates 36 on the cover have downwardly extending stems 37, on the lower ends of which are the hooks 38 which are adapted to fit the slots 35 as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. These hooks are also adapted to engage the flanges 27, as shown in Fig. 4, when the case is knocked-down. Referring to Figs. 16, 17 and 18, a device is shown for locking the other side of the top of the case. The upper ends of the bars 31 are formed with the elliptical sleeves 40. Plates 41 are let into the top 1 and have L-shaped locking-rods 42 extending downward into the sleeves, which rods have hooks 43 at their lower ends. The upper arms 49 of the rods may be secured in locking position by means of a wire 44 passing through the holes 45 in the flanges 46 on the plates 41. If desired, hasps 47 may be mounted on pins 48, and swing down over the ends of the arms 49, the wire also passing through the holes 50.

The box-case is assembled by placing t-he ends 3 and 4 against the bottom, dropping the heads 24 on the arms 23 into the slots 21 and sliding these heads outward under the flanges 20. The side 6 and then the side 5 are similarly positioned, after which the side 5 is swung up and pushed out until it rests against the adjacent lugs 18, as shown in Fig. 1. The other side 6 and the ends 3 and 4 are then swung up, the latches 12 being finally swung down to lock the upper corners of the sides and ends together. The top is then secured by inserting the stems 37 and hooks 38 in the slots 35 as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The rods 42 are then dropped through the sleeves 4() and turned to the position shown in Fig. 16, where they are secured by any desired means.

When the case is folded, the stem 37 will extend down outside of the edges of the side 6 and the ends, and engage the flanges 27, and the rods 42 will similarly engage the flanges 33 on the opposite edge of the bottom. The thicknesses of the ends and sides will determine the length of the rods and stems 37.

If desired, the ends of the top may be reinforced .by angle-bars 50 having corner lips 51 which extend down over the corners of the ends and sides. The plates 17 may be independent of each other as shown in Fig. 13, or connected by an angle-bar 53 as shown in Fig. 1.

Many other changes in the construction may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having now explained our improvements, what we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding packing case, the combinat-ion of a bottom, ends, and sides, slotted plates secured to said bottom, bars extending across the ends and sides, arms extending inwardly at the lower edges of the ends and sides and slidable in the slotted plates secured to said bottom, a top for the case, and downwardly extending locking devices mounted on the top and adapted to engage the upper ends ofthe bars extending across said sides and the slotted plates on the bottom.

2. In a folding packing case, the combination of a bottom having plates along its edges, flanges to receive hinge-members mounted on the plates, upwardly projecting lugs connected to the outer edges of said plates, ends and sides for the case, and hinge-members comprising inwardly projecting arms on the lower edges of the ends and sides and provided with enlargements adapted to engage between the flanges on the plates.

3. In a packing oase, the combination of a bottom, ends and sides, downwardly and inwardly extending arms mounted at the lower edges of the ends and sides, the outer ends of said arms being enlarged, metal plates mounted on said bottom, flanges mounted on said plates in pairs having portions extending toward each other so as to furnish retaining devices for said arms, said arms varying in length to permit said ends and sides to fold down flat onto each other.

4. In a folding packing case, the combination of a bottoni and sides hinged thereto, a top, downwardly extending stems revolubly mounted in the top and having hooks at their lower ends and arms at their upper ends, retaining devices for the hooks mounted at one edge of the bottom and at the upper end of one side, and means for securing the arms at the upper ends of the stems to prevent them from turning when the hooks are in engaging position.

5. In a folding packing case, the combination of a bottom, ends and sides, slotted plates secured to the bottom having inwardly extending flanges, arms of unequal length secured to said ends and sides and 13G extending inwardly at right angles thereto l specification in the presence of two sulosorilo-y and( havlng enlarged ends slidable in the ing witnesses.

slotted plates below the flanges, a top, and MARTIN PATRICK CONNOLLY. downwardly extending stems on said top VILLIAM HENRY FISHER. and having hooks at their lower ends to CHARLES OTTO PAPKE. engage in said slots in the plates on the bot- Witnesses: tom where the plate is folded. L. F. WENDT,

In testimony whereof we have signed this WM. A. RoTHs.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. f 

